Tara was 48 years old when she was diagnosed with cancer. That is bad enough. But then she became a widow unexpectedly at 49 years old. Where do you go when that happens? What passes through your mind? Even as a Christian, it is hard to sit back and say, “Okay. That’s fine. I can take it.”
Consider the words of Farther Along beside the inspired thoughts of Psalm 73.
Read Psalm 73 and we see that Asaph was suffering from the same questions that Tara has had to struggle with. Asaph was a Levite who served as a musician and leader of worship during David’s reign. It is one of the greatest psalms in terms of continued relevancy. It is easy, as Tara shows us, to identify with the sentiments of this psalm.
BAD PEOPLE PROSPER
Psalm 73. Verse 1 we see that he is a believer. Notice the foundational knowledge Asaph has – “Surely God is good to Israel.” “To those who are pure in heart” – “heart” is found 6x. That is the source of our comfort or our destruction.
Verse 2 – “My feet came close to stumbling, my steps had almost slipped.” The believer has given way to the doubter. Why? Verse 3 – “For I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”
Beginning in verses 4-9, the doubter turns into a wrestler as he wrestles with what he sees around him.
How did this impact Asaph? Look at verses 13-16. Tara writes: “It’s hard not to live in the here and now.”
FARTHER ALONG, WE’LL KNOW ALL ABOUT IT
Look at Asaph’s writing in verse 17 – “Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end.” This changes everything. Now the wrestler turns into the worshipper…
Does it pay to be righteous? Yes, it does.
We must trust Him. Remember verse 1? “God is good to Israel.” “When pondering the mysteries of life, hold on to what you know for sure, and never doubt in the darkness what God has taught you in the light” (Wiersbe, 236).
What is the end of the wicked? They are in slippery places – verse 18. They will be cast down into destruction – verse 18, “destroyed in a moment” – verse 19.
The combine application of the Mast Mood capsule are Valvading, levitra free consultation Ashmaz, Umbelia, Embelia Ribes, Ras Sindur, Girji, Sudh Shilajit, Lauh Bhasma, Abhrak Bhasma, Himalcherry and Adrijatu. Kamagra Oral Jelly contains the same ingredients of the cialis online, hence, it possesses same mechanism. It helps to gain bigger and harder erection for pleasurable sexual activities. levitra tab 20mg These are common truths, you don’t know where you are going, how will you get there? Determine your support network. cialis sale
Asaph’s heart was embittered (vs 21) but he recognizes that he was also senseless and ignorant (vs 22). The first step toward enlightenment is moral – to turn from self-seeking and self-pity and focus on God and what He has done for us.
Again, in verse 23, Asaph entrusted himself into the hands of an all-knowing, all-wise heavenly being. Asaph says, “Nevertheless I am continually with you; You have taken hold of my right hand. With your counsel you will guide me, and afterward receive me to glory” (verses 23-24). The bottom line is: Do I have a relationship with God? If so, nothing else matters.
When we are having doubts, we need to turn to God in worship. There in verse 23, Asaph becomes the Conqueror.
Listen to the words of Asaph from verse 25: “Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides you, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. …But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.” Asaph has moved from skepticism to evangelism.
Three thoughts to help us keep a better perspective on our “trials”:
God will not put on us more than we can bear – 1 Corinthians 10:13.
The world and its aspects are passing away – 1 John 2:17.
God can do what He desires with what is His own – Matthew 20:15.
–Paul Holland
Sermon on psalm 73
Tara was 48 years old when she was diagnosed with cancer. That is bad enough. But then she became a widow unexpectedly at 49 years old. Where do you go when that happens? What passes through your mind? Even as a Christian, it is hard to sit back and say, “Okay. That’s fine. I can take it.”
Consider the words of Farther Along beside the inspired thoughts of Psalm 73.
Read Psalm 73 and we see that Asaph was suffering from the same questions that Tara has had to struggle with. Asaph was a Levite who served as a musician and leader of worship during David’s reign. It is one of the greatest psalms in terms of continued relevancy. It is easy, as Tara shows us, to identify with the sentiments of this psalm.
BAD PEOPLE PROSPER
Psalm 73. Verse 1 we see that he is a believer. Notice the foundational knowledge Asaph has – “Surely God is good to Israel.” “To those who are pure in heart” – “heart” is found 6x. That is the source of our comfort or our destruction.
Verse 2 – “My feet came close to stumbling, my steps had almost slipped.” The believer has given way to the doubter. Why? Verse 3 – “For I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”
Beginning in verses 4-9, the doubter turns into a wrestler as he wrestles with what he sees around him.
How did this impact Asaph? Look at verses 13-16. Tara writes: “It’s hard not to live in the here and now.”
FARTHER ALONG, WE’LL KNOW ALL ABOUT IT
Look at Asaph’s writing in verse 17 – “Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end.” This changes everything. Now the wrestler turns into the worshipper…
Does it pay to be righteous? Yes, it does.
We must trust Him. Remember verse 1? “God is good to Israel.” “When pondering the mysteries of life, hold on to what you know for sure, and never doubt in the darkness what God has taught you in the light” (Wiersbe, 236).
What is the end of the wicked? They are in slippery places – verse 18. They will be cast down into destruction – verse 18, “destroyed in a moment” – verse 19.
The combine application of the Mast Mood capsule are Valvading, levitra free consultation Ashmaz, Umbelia, Embelia Ribes, Ras Sindur, Girji, Sudh Shilajit, Lauh Bhasma, Abhrak Bhasma, Himalcherry and Adrijatu. Kamagra Oral Jelly contains the same ingredients of the cialis online, hence, it possesses same mechanism. It helps to gain bigger and harder erection for pleasurable sexual activities. levitra tab 20mg These are common truths, you don’t know where you are going, how will you get there? Determine your support network. cialis sale
Asaph’s heart was embittered (vs 21) but he recognizes that he was also senseless and ignorant (vs 22). The first step toward enlightenment is moral – to turn from self-seeking and self-pity and focus on God and what He has done for us.
Again, in verse 23, Asaph entrusted himself into the hands of an all-knowing, all-wise heavenly being. Asaph says, “Nevertheless I am continually with you; You have taken hold of my right hand. With your counsel you will guide me, and afterward receive me to glory” (verses 23-24). The bottom line is: Do I have a relationship with God? If so, nothing else matters.
When we are having doubts, we need to turn to God in worship. There in verse 23, Asaph becomes the Conqueror.
Listen to the words of Asaph from verse 25: “Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides you, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. …But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.” Asaph has moved from skepticism to evangelism.
Three thoughts to help us keep a better perspective on our “trials”:
God will not put on us more than we can bear – 1 Corinthians 10:13.
The world and its aspects are passing away – 1 John 2:17.
God can do what He desires with what is His own – Matthew 20:15.
–Paul Holland